Syro-Hittite Female Rider

Culture: Levant

Period: 1st Half of 2nd millennium B.C.

Material: Clay

Dimensions: 9.4 cm high

Price: Sold

Ref: 6263

Provenance: French collection Hekmat and Madeline Nassif, acquired between 1933 and 1987.

Condition: One leg of the horse reattached, otherwise intact.

Description: Handmade clay figure of a stylized horse with harness. The eyes circular and looking ahead, the head raised, the harness finely hatched. The animal's neck is long and straight, on the back the mane is accentuated. The legs are short and straight, the tail stubby. A female rider is seated on the animal's back, her indicated legs hanging down sideways. The upper body is long and straight, the arms standing horizontally sideways, whereas the left hand grabs the harness between the horse’s long ears. The rider with her large, circular eyes and long nose features the typical bird face of Syro-Hittite terracotta figures. She wears an opulent, finely pierced neck decoration and long hair, cascading in front over her shoulders. The hair on the back decorated with a graver. A small terracotta group of fine quality.